A new and serious annoyance is besetting Bangor automobilists who are fond of the woodsy highways within a score of miles of the city, in the form of a veritable pest of hedgehogs. In the evening these spiny, bristling animals are often found in the roads, and, fascinated by the glare of the head lamps of the motor cars, refuse to budge from the track, with the result that they are often run over. The danger lies in the sharp quills which pierce the tires, making a puncture which cripples the car and is hard to mend. Many motoring enthusiasts are decidedly disturbed over this discovery by which many unexplained accidents are now accounted for.

50 years ago, 1958

A check totaling $1,469, the greater part of the money raised by the Auburn-Lewiston Kiwanis Club at its recent Community Pancake Breakfast, was presented to Mrs. Lucien Levesque of the Home for Retarded Children by Kiwanis President Donald Gautier at the regular meeting of group yesterday at the YMCA

The amount will cover one year’s expenses at the home and will help to pay for indoor and outdoor playgrounds, transportation for field trips, a vacation program and salaries for a music teacher and a speech therapist-specialist.

25 years ago, 1983

Without the blessing of the police, the Guardian Angels are pushing to establish a crime-fighting chapter in Portland, the group’s founder said Friday. Curtis Sliwa and three fellow Angels failed to gain Portland Police Chief Francis E. Amoroso’s endorsement during an hour-long meeting Friday. But Amoroso called the meeting beneficial and appointed a department liaison for Lisa Deangelis and Susan Holt, two Angels from the Boston chapter who plan to arrange meetings with the city’s mayor and its council.

• Fourth inning fielding and batting heroics by veteran right fielder Dwight Evans helped lead the Boston Red Sox to a 12-5 victory over the New York Yankees on Sunday.